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Rapid thermocyclerRapid thermocycler description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080057542, Rapid thermocycler. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims priority to Provisional Application No. 60/824027, entitled "Rapid Thermal Cycler" and filed on Aug. 30, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. The Field of the Invention [0003]The present invention is directed to the field of thermocyclers used in the practice of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). [0004]2. The Relevant Technology [0005]A number of industrial, technology and research applications utilize thermal cycling to manage applications such as chemical or biochemical reactions or analytical applications. [0006]One important tool in the field of molecular biology which utilizes thermal cycling is the process known as "polymerase chain reaction" (PCR). PCR generates large quantities of genetic material from small samples of the genetic material. This is important because small samples of genetic material may be difficult or expensive to measure or analyze or use for any practical purpose, whereas the ability to produce large amounts of desired genetic material through the PCR amplification process allows one to engage in important actions such as the identification of particular genetic material in a sample, or the measurement of how much genetic material was present, or generation of enough genetic material for use to serve as a component of further applications. [0007]The PCR process is performed in a small reaction vial containing components for DNA duplication: the DNA to be duplicated, the four nucleotides which are assembled to form DNA, two different types of synthetic DNA called "primers" (one for each of the complementary strands of DNA), and an enzyme called DNA polymerase. [0008]DNA is double stranded. The PCR process begins by separating the two strands of DNA into individual complementary strands, a step which is referred to as "denaturation." This is typically accomplished by heating the PCR reaction mixture to a temperature of about 94 to 96 degrees centigrade for a period of time between a few seconds to over a minute in duration. [0009]Once the DNA is separated into single strands, the mixture is cooled to about 45 to about 60 degrees centigrade (typically chosen to be about 5 degrees below the primer melting temperature) in order to allow a primer to bind to each of the corresponding single strands of DNA in the mixture. This step is typically called "annealing." The annealing step typically takes anywhere from a few seconds up to a few minutes. [0010]Next, the reaction vessel is heated to about 72 to 73 degrees centigrade, a temperature at which DNA polymerase in the reaction mixture acts to build a second strand of DNA onto the single strand by adding nucleic acids onto the primer so as to form a double stranded DNA that is identical to that of the original strand of DNA. This step is generally called "extension." The extension step generally takes from a few seconds to a couple minutes to complete. [0011]This series of three steps, also sometimes referred to as "stages", define one "cycle." Completion of a PCR cycle results in doubling the amount of DNA in the reaction vial. Repeating a cycle results in another doubling of the amount of DNA in the reaction vial. Typically, the process is repeated many times, e.g. 10 to 40 times, resulting in a large number of identical pieces of DNA. Performing 20 cycles results in more than a million copies of the original DNA sample. Performing 30 cycles results in more than a billion copies of the original DNA sample. A "thermocycler" is used to automate the process of moving the reaction vessel between the desired temperatures for the desired period of time. [0012]It can take about three hours to run about 30 cycles when using conventional equipment. This amount of time is required because of the time that is spent accomplishing a change of temperature between each PCR step, as well as the time required at each target temperature. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013]Although the ability to make over a million copies in a few hours was a tremendously important advance in the field of molecular biology, it would be of great value to be able to decrease the time required to run each PCR cycle. [0014]The present invention provides methods and apparatus that permit for more rapid operation of the polymerase chain reaction by decreasing the amount of time required at each step. This is accomplished by utilizing a sample assembly having a relatively small thermal mass and an associated heating element that is capable of rapidly heating the sample assembly to a desired temperature and then maintaining it at that temperature. A separate cooling assembly including a cold sink having a relatively large thermal mass is used to rapidly lower the temperature of the sample assembly as required by bringing the cold sink into physical contact with the sample assembly. [0015]These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016]To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: [0017]FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic representation of various components of a rapid thermocycler in one configuration in which a sample is thermally isolated; [0018]FIG. 1B is a diagrammatic representation similar to FIG. 1B, but showing a different configuration which results cooling of the sample; [0019]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a rapid thermocycler; [0020]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of various components of the embodiment of FIG. 2; Continue reading about Rapid thermocycler... Full patent description for Rapid thermocycler Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Rapid thermocycler patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20090286286 - Methods for controlling amplification - Methods of amplifying nucleic acid on a solid support are described. Beads and template, each in known concentrations, are employed so a range of template to bead ratios can be exploited. Where the beads contain primers, the template can be amplified. After amplification, non-covalently bound template is removed, so as ... 20090286285 - Modified nucleic acid polymers and methods for their production - The invention is directed to nucleic acid sequences having decreased thermodynamic stability to complementary sequence as well as a method for producing these sequences. ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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